Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Oh yeah, oh yeah
Well they tell me of a pie up in the sky
Waiting for me when I die
But between the day you're born and when you die
They never seem to hear even your cry
So as sure as the sun will shine
I'm gonna get my share now, what's mine
And then the harder they come
The harder they'll fall, one and all
Ooh, the harder they come
The harder they'll fall, one and all
Well, the oppressors are trying to keep me down
Trying to drive me underground
And they think that they have got the battle won
I say forgive them Lord
They know not what they've done
'Cause as sure as the sun will shine
I'm gonna get my share now, what's mine
And then the harder they come
The harder they'll fall, one and all
Ooh, the harder they come
Harder they'll fall, one and all, yeah
Ooh, yeah, ooh yeah
Whoa, yeah, oh yeah
And I keep on fighting for the things I want
Though I know that when you're dead you can't
But I'd rather be a free man in my grave
Than living as a puppet or a slave
So as sure as the sun will shine
I'm gonna get my share now, what's mine
And then the harder they come
The harder they'll fall, one and all
Ooh, the harder they come
Harder they'll fall, one and all
Hey, the harder they come
The harder they'll fall one and all
What I say, now? what I say, now?
All
All
What I say, now? what I say? one time
the harder they come
Harder they'll fall, one and all
Ooh, the harder they come
The harder they'll fall, one and all
Well they tell me of a pie up in the sky
Waiting for me when I die
But between the day you're born and when you die
They never seem to hear even your cry
So as sure as the sun will shine
I'm gonna get my share now, what's mine
And then the harder they come
The harder they'll fall, one and all
Ooh, the harder they come
The harder they'll fall, one and all
Well, the oppressors are trying to keep me down
Trying to drive me underground
And they think that they have got the battle won
I say forgive them Lord
They know not what they've done
'Cause as sure as the sun will shine
I'm gonna get my share now, what's mine
And then the harder they come
The harder they'll fall, one and all
Ooh, the harder they come
Harder they'll fall, one and all, yeah
Ooh, yeah, ooh yeah
Whoa, yeah, oh yeah
And I keep on fighting for the things I want
Though I know that when you're dead you can't
But I'd rather be a free man in my grave
Than living as a puppet or a slave
So as sure as the sun will shine
I'm gonna get my share now, what's mine
And then the harder they come
The harder they'll fall, one and all
Ooh, the harder they come
Harder they'll fall, one and all
Hey, the harder they come
The harder they'll fall one and all
What I say, now? what I say, now?
All
All
What I say, now? what I say? one time
the harder they come
Harder they'll fall, one and all
Ooh, the harder they come
The harder they'll fall, one and all
Lyrics submitted by Grandmasterwody
The Harder They Come Lyrics as written by Jimmy Cliff
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This song means to to me a person who takes no shit, someone who is willing to fight for what is they and wont let people get in they way. The lyric i like the most is: But id rather be a free man in my grave than living as a puppet or a slave Ithink that says it all how life should be viewed
rancid covered this at the free tibet concert and it fuckin rocked...what it means to me, is that freedom is better than slavery at any cost and everyone should be treated fairly..sumthin like that. peace
yeah for sure, this song is about standing up to oppression no matter how small or insignificant you may feel, because the oppressors are bound to fall. the original by Jimmy Cliff is great, but Long Beach Dub Allstars featuring Joe Strummer and Tippa Irie do an absolutely perfect cover on "Free the West Memphis 3".
This song if from the film The Harder They Come (1972); I guess you would call a cult classic, if you could even label it. A brilliant song spawned from quite an interesting film.
Definitely about striking back against oppression, no doubt.
"I'd rather be a free man in my grave, than to be a puppet or a slave" very powerful song
And they think that they have got the battle won I say forgive them Lord They know not what they've done
yah i agree wirth both of you. i think it also means that when they are trying to be free, if they try really hard and dont make it, then the fall is harder
Let us remeber that this song strongly rebels against religion. Do not live for an afterlife but fight for it now, through preists corporations cops, all those that hinder humanity